(KAIR)--A new, online survey is launched by the Atchison County Commission, intended to gain input from county residents to help the Commission "better understand community needs and priorities."

That's according to a release issued by Atchison County Wednesday, which directs residents to a SurveyMonkey link where the questions are found.

MSC News reviewed the survey, which opens by asking opinions on county zoning, then continues on to gauge community support for a possible sales tax to fund EMS & Rescue, as well as asking about improvements for County services.

Commission Chair, 3rd District Commissioner, Casey Quinn, in a social media post, encourages county residents to complete the survey, adding that the Commission has "a solution to offset property taxes with a sales tax" which "focuses on capturing dollars from the users of [Atchison County] services that do not pay property taxes.”

The survey is launched as the Commission continues a lengthy, transparent process of planning next year's budget, with a public hearing regarding the budget and the revenue neutral rate planned for Tuesday evening, at 6:00, at Memorial Hall in Atchison.

Quinn calls it a chance for the County to continue to provide information to citizens and "educate [those citizens] as to why [the County is] in this position" as it pertains to the budget figures for the new year.

Quinn, in a social media comment, asks if any residents, prior to Tuesday's session, want to see a roundtable discussion held to, Quinn says, "review and visit," adding that she is "all in to help explain the situation [the County is] in" regarding the budget, as well as steps being taken by the County leaders "to avoid taxpayers feeling the burden" of increased taxation.”

The City of Atchison, as budget planning continues, and on the heels of the recent budget-related mailing by Atchison County, is adding its voice in the ongoing attempt to make the budgeting process more transparent, and understandable, for local taxpayers.

The City, on Wednesday, took to social media, saying the City "has received a lot of calls and heard the conversation regarding the budgeting process, the flyer residents received from the County this week, and how it all relates to ad valorem property taxes."

The post explains that the amounts shown on the flyer are not the final budget or tax numbers for 2026, with those final budget and tax figures to still be determined.

The City, in its post, provides a link, saying the information posted there "is an attempt to clarify some of the budget and ad valorem tax processes that have already occurred and those that are still upcoming."